For an 8 foot runner, they can cost anywhere from $175 to $450. Step 7: Repeat the process until you reach the bottom of the staircase. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Measure the Room. The thing is, carpeting your stairs is not as difficult as it looks. Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. While there are many carpet installation tools in the market, it is confusing to know which ones to get at the start. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Hold them in place and mark the locations of the screw holes. For the tailored Hollywood look, also secure the runner to the underside of the nosing, spacing each staple three inches apart. If you want to install carpets with perfect seams and properly cut edges, rely on a cushion back carpet cutter. Step 5: Unroll the carpet so that its back is facing the top of the stairs and press it down on the adhesive. As you figure out how to measure stairs for carpet, start by selecting one stair tread. Proceed along the entire strip until it lifts away from the stair. Step 3: Attach padding to the stairs by using a hammer stapler. Either method works, but the knee-kick will make removal much easier. Step 4. Can You Install New Carpeting Over Old Carpeting? You can either mark this point on the top stair or on each step, depending on what seems more convenient to you. Use carpet tool and rubber mallet to pack runner tightly between the tackless strip and the riser. This positioning tool is designed for use with low-profile carpet, and features teeth angled forward to help grip and hold the carpet. You wont have to worry about installing your carpet with this tape since its so easy to use. Drill 116-inch pilot holes at each mark. When it comes to carpets, neatness is the most important factor. Cheryl Simmons is a flooring expert who grew up in the flooring industry, working in her family's retail store since her youth. There are different ways to carpet stairs, but well be discussing the ones that are easiest to follow, even for those who are new to the world of DIY home improvements. Repeat the process as you work your way down the stairs. Install your pre-cut stair carpet starting from the bottom stair and work your way up. Use a tape measure to measure the stair and riser, and add around 4 inches to cover the edges. The runner pad that goes under the rug costs between $14 and $72. With the vintage rug, the room seems cozier. Once you have selected your carpet, measured, and prepped your stairs, you are ready to begin installing your new carpet. This padding is easily available at hardware stores as well as carpet stores. Carpet Even if you remove the tape, you will not have to struggle with any floor issues which are incredibly common with carpet installation methods using glue! Carpet Glue. Staple across the entire length of the pad. If the dimensions of your stairs are not within these guidelines, you'll need to rebuild them for safety. Trim the pad where the nosing and the top of the riser meet and, if using the waterfall method, clip the corners so you wont see the pad. They dont need to be a certain width, just whatever size is comfortable for you to grip during removal and that will fit into your garbage bags. For the tread, fasten the carpet to the floor under the nosing, and bring the carpet straight over the lip and across the tread. To Install Carpet TREADS on Hardwood Stairs However, to achieve this at home, you need to understand how to install carpet on stairs. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board. In case you fall, carpeted stairs will provide you with much better padding than the cold, hard marble, wooden, or concrete steps. Starting from the middle of each step, staple the padding on the stairs. Carpet hammer tackers are becoming more popular amongst people who dislike the use of carpet glue. A carpet seam roller has two small axles and a metal wheel which can be described as toothed. Carpet Tools Installing a set of stair treads on your steps is a great way to protect your stairs. Recenter the runner, then push the carpet back over the nosing and toward the next tack strip. Center the carpet on the bottom edge of the steps. While the tool may look intimidating, it operates on a very simple principle. Padding should touch the edge of the tackless strips but should not overlap them. 28 Tools to Remove and Install a Carpet You May try our User's Favourite Milwaukee M12 FUEL 2-Tool Combo Kit CAD $249.00 In Stock Milwaukee PACKOUT 2-Drawer Tool Box CAD $178.00 In Stock Milwaukee FASTBACK 6 in 1 Folding Utility Knife CAD $25.99 In Stock Milwaukee PACKOUT Rolling Tool Box CAD $179.00 In Stock These are fairly simple to install; the same general process applies except the carpet is wrapped completely around the tread and stapled underneath. Tamp it down to hold in place, or as an alternative secure it with staples. Cut carpet pad the same width as the tackless strips and 3 inches longer than the depth of the tread. How to Remodel Carpeted Stairs to Wood Measure its depth. The tools you need depend on the type of carpet installation method you choose. Cut the rest using a carpet cutter. Using a pair of pliers, grip a piece of carpet on the riser, which is the vertical part of a stairnot the part you step on. The 12 Carpet Installation Tools (You Need to do it Right) 1. Check end of runner with framing square. If the carpet padding is tacked on, simply pull it up and dispose of it in a contractor bag. Carpet seaming is a challenging procedure that is a part of carpet installation projects! Power stretchers have a lever and a pole which apply tension on the carpet across the room. Dab cut edges with latex carpet glue to prevent fraying. Treads are typically 10 to 11-1/2 inches deep; the deeper the tread, the more comfortable the climb. Refold and track the carpet for the next rod. The tack strip is quite thick and a normal cutter will not be able to cut it neatly. Installing carpet on stairs can be tricky and time-consuming, but it can be accomplishedeven by noviceswith some understanding and patience. The [amazon link=B0141L81GS title=XFasten Double Sided Carpet Tape/] is a residue free tape that is safe to use on multiple surfaces like wood, foam and rubber. Copyright 2023 This Old House Ventures, LLC. After you have measured and obtained the correct length of Stair Runner, you'll need some additional tools to complete the installation, including a. Installing The end result wont appeal to you and youll be upset by the imperfections, in such a case, you should get this tool. Start at the middle, and work your way to each edge to minimize any bubbles in the middle. It is strong and durable making it perfect for heavy-duty use! Carpet padding on stairs increases the materials life and keep it from wearing out quickly. Although the process to install carpet on steps may take more than a few hours, the end result will definitely be worth all the hassle. After all, the entire look of the carpet can be ruined due to a poor cut by an inferior product! You can either use a straightedge or your fingers to press the carpet to the riser to make sure it sticks properly. Once you remove a piece of carpet, roll it up, use a piece of duct tape to hold it in place, and place it into a large contractor garbage bag. The [amazon link=B00107M76M title=Economy Adjustable Knee Kicker/] is designed to make carpet installation projects easier. The design of the roller helps it apply pressure on the seam. Using locking pliers, pry a small corner of carpet away from a riser to determine the material underneath and decide on renovation specifics. Use the pliers to grab the carpet pile of the carpet on the top stair riser. The carpeting should be even with the floor, but if not, just trim the edge with a carpet knife. Plus, its possible to complete this installation project in only a few hours. The seam iron should enable you to adjust the temperature and equitably distribute heat to the carpet fibers. Move the electric carpet tacker between the edge to fix the staple impressions. Also, carpeted stairs are safer than hard-surface stairs, as they lessen your chances of slipping and pad your fall if you lose your balance. So to add a bit of cushion to each tread, we installed an affordable carpet pad on each step. Some stairs have carpeting that runs up the center with edges that are bare hardwood. They quieten footsteps by absorbing the sound, and they are significantly safer than harder-surface stairs. Timothy Dale, 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Cleanup Day. Drill 116-inch pilot holes at each mark. This tool is called a carpet stair tool. Put on proper safety gear including goggles/glasses, gloves, and a face mask. It has a heat-treated hammer mechanism which will let you shoot staples according to your needs. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Even cheap carpeting will perform much better if the underlying padding is of good quality, such as high-density memory foam. If the French cap method of installing carpet seems a little overwhelming or the carpet is too thick, use the waterfall method. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. WebPlace the grab bars directly on the spiral stair rungs. Secure both ends in the brackets. While you can easily pull carpet padding away from tacks, it is an entirely different scope of work if the padding has been glued down. But by the time you buy or rent the specialty tools, padding, seaming tape, and other supplies necessary, the extra $1 to $1.50 per-square-foot cost for pro installation starts to seem like a bargain. Jillian is a freelance journalist with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. Cut the carpet to fit the bottom of each stair, the area where the foot will fall. Carpet Seam Iron. The nose is the lip that extends out over the riser. Make certain that the strips angle in toward each other, so that the points of the tacks will come close to touching. Using this product makes the most sense if you want seams that do not peak. A carpet installation project often requires seaming pieces of the floor covering together. In total, installing a high quality rug and pad on your stairs costs between $380 and $1050. Start in the middle and work side to side. It has a pretty ergonomic and non-slip plastic handle which will let you use it comfortably. This is one of the most popular glues in the market and rightly so. Slice into the carpet, starting in the back corner of the tread and continuing across it. In this method of installing carpet, which is considered simpler but doesn't necessarily look quite as polished, the carpet is attached to the edge of the tread and then drops down to meet the back of the next stair tread without adhering it to the riser. Visit a carpeting outlet to see samples of the patterns and colors available. The pad should be cut to precisely fit between the tackless strips you'll be nailing to the back of the tread and the bottom of the riser. Pull up a small corner of the carpet to get a look at what is underneath. Prepare for the possibility that youll need to replace parts of the stairs, fix breaks, or treat infestations after removing the carpet. Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Step 4: Once the padding has been put in place, measure the stairs once again atop the affixed material, and cut the carpet accordingly. The hassle such a poor tool will cause is likely to frustrate you! Make sure to wrap the padding around the nose of the treads perfectly and staple it in place before moving to the next step. The [amazon link=B000M34S08 title=ROBERTS Electric Carpet Stapler/] is the perfect tool if you want to avoid the use of adhesives. First, install the tread as described above. WebThe first step of installing carpet on stairs is the tack strips. A carpeted stairway can make your home look elegant and lavish. to Install Carpet on Stairs [Full Guide Some DIYers make the mistake of thinking that they can install carpeting just by cutting pieces with an ordinary utility knife and rolling out the pieces over the floor. You can also use a grinder to level the surface if needed. Now that you have the low-down on how to install carpets on your stairs, it is time to get stuck into your next DIY project. After all, it can secure the carpet at the edges of the stair and cause it to look more elegant!